San Antonio Stars drop the silver

Updated 10:59 pm, Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News

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San Antonio Stars head coach Dan Hughes (from left), former Spurs player Sean Elliott, Stars' Becky Hammon, H-E-B Vice President of Marketing Cory Basso, Stars' Danielle Robinson and WNBA President Laurel Richie pose for pictures as the Stars - formerly called the Silver Stars - announce a change in their team name and logo along with their first ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B, after a press conference at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. less

San Antonio Stars basketball head coach Dan Hughes gathers fans for a collective high-five during a presser to announce the team's name change - formerly the Silver Stars - and to show off their new logo at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. The Stars also announced their first ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B. less

San Antonio Stars basketball head coach Dan Hughes gathers fans for a collective high-five during a presser to announce the team's name change - formerly the Silver Stars - and to show off their new logo at the ... more

Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News

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H-E-B Vice President of Marketing Cory Basso speaks during a presser to announce their sponsorship of the San Antonio Stars at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. The Stars - formerly called the Silver Stars - also showed off their new logo and new uniforms with the help of players Becky Hammon and Danielle Robinson. less

H-E-B Vice President of Marketing Cory Basso speaks during a presser to announce their sponsorship of the San Antonio Stars at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. The Stars - formerly called the ... more

Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News

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San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson show an audience their new uniforms with their new and first-ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B, during a presser at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014.

San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson show an audience their new uniforms with their new and first-ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B, during a presser at the AT&T Center on Tuesday,

Emcee and former Spurs player Sean Elliott (right) introduces San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson as the WNBA team present their new logo and name change at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. The Stars also announced their first ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B, during the press conference. less

Emcee and former Spurs player Sean Elliott (right) introduces San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson as the WNBA team present their new logo and name change at the AT&T Center ... more

San Antonio Stars head coach Dan Hughes gathers fans for a collective high-five while announcing the team's name change from the Silver Stars and to announce the team's first-ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B.

San Antonio Stars head coach Dan Hughes gathers fans for a collective high-five while announcing the team's name change from the Silver Stars and to announce the team's first-ever marquee sponsor, H-E-B.

Photo: Kin Man Hui / San Antonio Express-News

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San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson show off the team's new uniforms with the logo of the H-E-B Grocery Co.

San Antonio Stars players Becky Hammon (left) and Danielle Robinson show off the team's new uniforms with the logo of the H-E-B Grocery Co.

Photo: Kin Man Hui / San Antonio Express-News

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San Antonio Stars drop the silver

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SAN ANTONIO — In the San Antonio Silver Stars' upcoming season, a big red H-E-B logo may distract fans from noticing an even more substantial change to the team's jerseys.

Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the team's owner, said Tuesday it's dropping “Silver” from the team's name — before introducing H-E-B as the WNBA franchise's first major sponsor.

The new partnership grants the locally based grocer a prominent display on the front of the Stars jerseys for the 2014 season, which starts in May, and strengthens the company's growing role in local and regional sports franchises.

“We've always been sponsors of the Stars” since the team moved from Salt Lake City to San Antonio in 2003, said Cory Basso, H-E-B's group vice president of marketing and advertising. “But we've never really taken it to what we think could be the next level. We're strong believers in all women's sports and strong supporters of the WNBA.”

At a news conference, WNBA President Laurel Richie said the new name reflects a “natural evolution,” noting that fans already refer to the team as the Stars.

Still, she wondered if the new name also could help invigorate the fan base, especially after the Stars struggled through multiple season-ending injuries last year.

All told, players missed a combined 94 games because of injuries, ending the season with a record of 12-22.

“Generally speaking, teams will rebrand as a means to jumpstart energy and enthusiasm” Wagoner said. “If you're riding a really strong wave, you won't rebrand, and you'll let the inertia take you as far as it can.

“Because this rebrand is so relatively minor, then maybe it is a response to, and trying to strengthen, the fan level as it stands now,” she said.

Wagoner also viewed the rebrand as a separate issue from H-E-B's marquee sponsorship, which the grocer secured as part of an extension of its long-standing agreement with Spurs Sports & Entertainment.

The deal included H-E-B's position as the San Antonio Spurs' main sponsor for the next four years and a presence with SS&E's other franchises — the San Antonio Rampage and Austin Toros.

Neither party would disclose the financial details of the agreement, but Wagoner suspected H-E-B might benefit from the Stars niche following.

“The WNBA is getting a different profile of attendees and fans than the NBA,” she said. “That is likely a big piece of what H-E-B is trying to figure out, and that is connecting to people who are the household decision-makers, who are going to the market and who are deciding fresh produce (vs.) some food in a can.”

H-E-B hopes, Wagoner said, “to influence and reach that person in a direct way, and perhaps the Stars audience can deliver that.”

She also credited the Stars and H-E-B for crafting a regionally focused partnership, an idea with which other WNBA and sports franchises have found success.

“It speaks to the fan base in a very emotional way,” Wagoner said. “A Texas-based company with stores only in Texas and a flagship sports program in the state of Texas is very powerful and very compelling, and it's not particular to the WNBA.

“It's a strong sports sponsorship strategy.”

WNBA's Richie described all marquee partnerships as special, but said she found something unique about the Stars and H-E-B sponsorship.

“What I like about this one is it feels very Texas to me,” Richie said. “It's a really strong Texas team, and it's a really strong Texas brand.

“The marquee partnership makes a really big difference to our team, in terms of visibility, and creates resources,” she added.